


A Family

by thatfragilecapricorn



Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:48:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27826297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatfragilecapricorn/pseuds/thatfragilecapricorn
Summary: Emily AU
Relationships: Fox Mulder/Dana Scully
Kudos: 40





	A Family

Scully took a break from cleaning the kitchen to peek in on Mulder and Emily in the living room. It was Saturday and Mulder had kept his promise to Emily that he would come over to play with her. The little girl somehow had both agents wrapped around her little finger in a very short period of time, but neither of them minded. 

Emily was trying to show Mulder how to play patty-cake, which Scully had recently taught her, but he was messing up on purpose to make her laugh. Hearing Emily’s bright giggles, along with Mulder’s deeper chuckle, made her heart swell.

Scully returned to the dishes, but started tearing up thinking about her daughter and her partner. The joy she felt once she was able to take Emily home had only expanded now that the little girl seemed to be relatively happy and healthy. And like any good Scully woman, Emily had immediately taken a liking to Mulder. Emily mentioned Mulder every day: she repeated things he had told her, asked questions about his favorite things, and requested that they visit him. If Scully were a different person she may feel a little jealous of their bond, but instead their relationship engendered intense love in her. Thankfully, Mulder seemed to adore Emily just as much. He talked to her on the phone before bed, hung up all of her drawings in their basement office, and brought her small gifts when he visited. Today he had a Mr. Potato Head, which made Scully smile, remembering their first meeting. She still told him that Emily had enough toys, but he brushed her off, clearly pleased to spoil the little girl.

Hearing more laughter from the other room, Scully felt extreme gratitude for how her life had turned out and she wondered how she got so lucky.

“Hey, where are the graham crackers?” Mulder asked as he entered the kitchen. Scully was facing the sink, so she tried to hide from his inquiring gaze. Unfortunately, she was subject to Mulder’s almost preternatural ability to see right through her and he rushed to her side, realizing that something was wrong. 

“Scully, why are you crying?” he asked, sounding concerned.

“It’s nothing,” she said, pretending to be focused on washing Emily’s child-sized plate and cup.

“Nothing?” Mulder repeated. He reached around her to turn the faucet off. “The Scully I know doesn’t cry over nothing,” he said with a slight smile.

Scully finally turned to face Mulder, hoping her eyes weren't too red. 

“They’re happy tears,” she explained. He still looked confused, so she continued, “I was watching you and Emily and seeing the two people I love most in the world having fun makes me very happy.”

Mulder’s eyes widened. He clearly wasn’t expecting that response. “Love, huh?” he asked, his voice catching a little.

Scully looked down shyly. “Yes. Very much so.”

She glanced back at him, nervous about his reaction. But the expression on Mulder’s face made her even happier, if that was possible. When they made eye contact, he brought his hands up to gently cradle her cheeks.

Mulder’s voice was husky when he started talking. “Scully, after Samantha disappeared, I had parents but I didn’t truly have a family. Until I met you, and now Emily, I didn’t think that was in the cards for me. I never knew I could love, and be loved in return like that. If you’ll let me, I would very much like to be part of your and Emily’s family.”

Scully let out a breath that she didn’t know she was holding. She smiled and reached up on her toes so she could press her lips to Mulder’s. It was a very soft and warm kiss and one that would have deepened significantly had Emily not started calling for them.

They both grinned at each other after breaking apart. “I really do love her, Scully,” Mulder said quietly.

“I know,” she answered, the happy tears threatening to make a reappearance. 

“Her mom’s okay too, I guess,” he added with a sly smile.

Before Scully could respond, he pulled her in for a hug and whispered, “Thank you,” which Scully knew was another way to say “I love you.”

After a moment, they let go and joined Emily in the living room, this time as a family.


End file.
